Brookfield Township officials on May 6 promoted several firefighters in the career and volunteer ranks, hired two part-time firefighters

Brookfield Trustee Dan Suttles, whose back is to the camera, administers the oath to newly promoted firefighters, from left, career Lt. Steve Smoot, volunteer Capt. Randy Richman, volunteer Lt. Jim Richmond, and career Capt. Nick Cresanto.

Brookfield Trustee Dan Suttles, whose back is to the camera, administers the oath to newly promoted firefighters, from left, career Lt. Steve Smoot, volunteer Capt. Randy Richman, volunteer Lt. Jim Richmond, and career Capt. Nick Cresanto.

and established a $1-an-hour pay increase for part-timers.
The promotions follow a series of retirements and resignations, and the pay hike was made to try to entice more part-timers to apply for employment and work assigned shifts once they are hired.
In the promotions, career Lt. Nick Cresanto was made a captain, and firefighter Steve Smoot was booted up to lieutenant. Cresanto got a pay hike to $44,690, and Smoot to $43,998.
The captain’s seat was vacated when Capt. Dave Coffy retired in April. Trustees honored him for 38 years of paid service and two years as a volunteer.
On the volunteer side, Randy Richman was named a captain and Jim Richmond a lieutenant.
The newly hired part-timers are Jeremy Gless and Aaron Walker, both firefighters and emergency medical technicians. Gless is a Weathersfield volunteer who served with Brookfield briefly in 2012, said Fire Chief David Masirovits. Walker is a career employee with Med Star Ambulance, Warren, and volunteer firefighter elsewhere, Masirovits said.
Gless and Walker will be paid $9.15 an hour initially, but after July 1 they and all part-time firefighters will get the pay hike. Firefighters and emergency medical technicians will be paid $10.15 an hour; firefighters and advanced EMTs will get $11.05; and firefighters and paramedics will get $12 an hour.
“Hopefully, with the raise that they just received and hiring new part-timers, we’ll be able to open that station more often,” Masirovits said of Station 51 on Addison Road, which has been closed frequently because the department has been unable to staff it. “I’m making that my priority.”
The trustees also hiked the salary for a part-time clerical position from $8.75 an hour to $9.75. Richmond currently fills this role.
“This is a position the late Chief (Keith) Barrett created within the department, and it has helped me immensely during my transition to the fire chief’s position,” Masirovits said. “Jim has been instrumental in keeping records, along with maintaining an inventory and repairs of radios and personal protective equipment. He is usually in the office for one to two days per week and, when available, he responds to calls and assists the on-duty crew.”
On June 3, trustees hired two more part-timers: Matthew Lucy, a Brookfield resident, member of the volunteer fire department and former part-timer, as a firefighter/EMT; and Julian Janoviak as a firefighter/advanced EMT.